1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices powered by energy generated by impacts and, more particularly, to emergency distress signal and position indication broadcasting devices and methods.
2. Prior Art
Every year, numerous people get lost in the forests and mountains while climbing or hiking or are lost at sea or while engaged in other land or water sports activities, or when they are otherwise lost due to running out of gas while traveling in remote areas by car or motorcycle, or get stuck in mud or the like or due to mechanical failure, or due to plane crash, and for a number of other reasons. To these numbers, one must also add the number of people who get injured during hiking, skiing or other similar activities, and/or run out of food and/or water and become unable to move to safety on their own. Furthermore, many elderly people can become incapacitated or otherwise injured and incapable of calling for help or medical assistance.
In short, every year, a large number of people find themselves in situations in which they require help for one of the aforementioned or similar reasons. Currently, there are very few devices that are available for those in one of the aforementioned emergency situations to contact authorities or others for help. Among the devices that are currently available are cell phones, which run on battery power and therefore can run out of power, and in most of the above situations would usually be out of reception areas of the phone company. Another currently available device could be a GPS based position indicator and navigation device that could be used by the person to find the way to safety. However, GPS systems are powered by battery and would be useful only if the person is still capable of continuing his/her travel. In addition, GPS signal is not always available, particularly if the traveler is in a mountainous area. Chemical batteries run out and cannot therefore be relied on for emergency situations. Other electrical power sources such as solar cells and mechanical generators such as rotary hand operated dynamo generators may in general be used. However, large solar cell areas are needed to generate enough power, and they could only generate power during the day and under the sun. Dynamo generators and the like are relatively large and heavy and not suitable for hiking and sport activities and can get damaged during accidents and falls, making them unsuitable for many of the other aforementioned emergency situations.
A need therefore exists for methods and means that could be used by a person or persons in one or more of the aforementioned emergency situations or the like to inform authorities or someone who could alert help. To be useful in most situations, such methods and devices should have one or more of the following features: relatively small and lightweight; rugged and capable of withstanding impact and abuse; easy to use even in a highly distressed situations, preferably requiring just a few simple operations to send the appropriate distress signal; battery free; capable of transmitting distress signals, preferably with certain embedded position and/or other relevant information, over relatively long distances, preferably of tens of miles or more; capable of transmitting distress signals from mountainous areas, even from areas deep in the forest and/or from within caves and other similar areas, and have the signal received at the monitoring stations and capable of powering the signal transmitting device without requiring strenuous efforts.